


Keyword Love

by casserole365



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Catra learns about love, F/F, First Kiss, Past Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:15:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24726595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/casserole365/pseuds/casserole365
Summary: Catra doesn't know what that feeling she has for Adora is but eventually makes sense of it. Setting is pre-season 5.
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Kudos: 50





	Keyword Love

“You’re going to get in trouble!” eight-year-old Adora warned through giggles as Catra continued scratching their likeness into the metal frame of their bunk. “Don’t worry, nobody will ever see this besides us” Catra assured the older girl, “it’s our secret.” Catra wasn’t much of an artist but it didn’t matter. The simple rendition of her and Adora was a nightly reminder of their enduring friendship, their togetherness. A reminder that, when no longer true, drove Catra to destroy it with a swipe of her claws in a moment of overwhelming sadness and frustration. 

Catra missed her. Her best friend. The person who knew everything about her, even stupid little things like her favorite number. The person who had always been able to laugh with her, comfort her. The person she liked most in the world. The person she...  _ loved _ .

Realizing that she loved Adora had been a long process for Catra. Romantic relationships between soldiers were strongly discouraged. All they did was distract from training and were evidence that a person was weak and could be manipulated. That’s what the force captains and Shadow Weaver always said anyway. So Catra didn’t immediately recognize that deep-seated, raw, powerful feeling she had about Adora as love. 

“You’re never going to believe this,” Adora whispered to 13-year-old Catra, as they both hid underneath the blanket, trying not to wake their roommates. “What?” Catra loved when Adora got wide-eyed with gossip that she couldn’t contain any longer. “I saw Kyle and Rogelio do something funny in the locker room after training when they didn’t know I was still there,” Adora’s eyebrows were raised and she looked expectantly at her best friend. “What did they do? Like something actually funny? Because Kyle is not exactly known for his humor,” Catra replied. Suddenly Adora’s hands were cradling Catra’s cheeks, “Can I show you?” the blonde asked quietly. Catra experienced a sensation in the pit of her stomach as if she had just jumped from a great height and was free-falling. Some kind of instinct kicked in and she knew exactly what Adora was about to do. “Yeah,” she replied softly. Adora closed the gap between them, still gently cupping Catra’s face, and placed her lips on Catra’s. Catra felt that sensation in her stomach amplify a hundred-fold. She felt like she was flying. She felt like she was on fire. Never before had she experienced anything like  _ this _ . It only lasted a second, maybe even two, before Adora broke the kiss. She looked at Catra quizzically, “Do you think that’s what they meant when they told us about kissing and how we’re not supposed to do it?” Catra blinked rapidly, “Uh, yeah, maybe,” she affirmed, in shock.  _ Did Adora just feel the same thing I did when she did that? What was that feeling?  _ “I hope they don’t get in trouble,” Adora worried, scooting slightly apart from Catra, shifting so that she was lying on her back. Catra remained on her side, studying Adora’s profile. Specifically her mouth.  _ I want to do that again. But only with her. _

Catra had questions but never really found a clear-cut answer. There were no romance novels to read, no love songs to listen to on repeat. She heard tales of soldiers that had died on the battlefield because they had stopped to mourn a fallen member that they had been close to. A needless waste. Two good soldiers dead for the price of one. That was the reason romantic attachment was dangerous and unnecessary. Catra knew, in the deepest parts of her heart though, that if she ever found herself in that situation with Adora that she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from cradling and comforting her in her last moments. Even if that meant risking her own life.  _ Would Adora do the same for me?  _

It never stopped hurting that she was gone. At first it was a sharp, hot pain that seared through Catra’s chest. Eventually it evolved into a constant, dull ache that made her entire body feel heavy. The only times it subsided were when she was face to face with Adora again. But that was only ever in combat. Where there was no more softness. No whispering underneath blankets, no sharp but friendly teasing. No warmth of sharing a bed. Catra’s entire being ached for that softness and lightness that she used to share with her best friend. Now they were supposed to fight. She hated hurting her. She hated that split-second satisfaction she got from imagining that the physical pain she caused Adora might be a fraction of the emotional pain she had been feeling since she left. She hated Adora. But… she didn’t. Not really.  _ I could never hate her. Not when all I want is to have her back. _

  
It was Scorpia who taught Catra about love. It was during one of those long, cold nights when they were at that stupid, snowy base while Entrapta was searching for First Ones tech. “You really miss her, huh?” Scorpia had interrupted Catra’s ranting about Adora’s dumb princess powers and how she couldn’t wait to take her down and bring her back to the Frightzone. “What?” hissed Catra, taken aback. “Well- well I just mean that you talk about Adora so much and it seems to me like it really hurt you when she left. Because she was your best friend. It hurts when someone you love is gone.” The hair on Catra’s spine bristled slightly, “The person you…  _ what _ ?” she asked sharply. “Oh, you know, the person you love? Like… love? Is the keyword you’re confused about here love?” Scorpia rattled on, “My moms always told me they loved me when I was little, and, you know, they always cared for me and protected me and hugged me when I was sad. Love stuff.” Catra felt something clicking into place in her mind, in her heart. “So is that just for like… parents and their kids or whatever?” she asked brusquely. “Oh no, love can be for your family, your friends, and there’s the really fun kind that can be for people who are  _ more _ than your friends,” Scorpia answered cheerfully. Catra sat in silence, her mind racing with thoughts of Adora and that funny feeling she had felt for her for a long time now.  _ More than friends. Adora. I don’t want to be your friend, I want to kiss your lips. I want to kiss you until I lose my breath.  _

**Author's Note:**

> Credit to the band girl in red for the lyrics "I don't want to be your friend, I want to kiss your lips. I want to kiss you until I lose my breath" from the song i wanna be your girlfriend.


End file.
